Gladney Blog

Every child deserves a loving and caring family. Every child. Everywhere.

Child Abuse Prevention

WHAT:           

Six local social service agencies are hosting a collaborative event aimed at increasing awareness of child maltreatment during Child Abuse Prevention Month on April 4. For the Sake of the Children is a joint effort of ACH Child and Family Services, Alliance For Children, CASA of Tarrant County, Gladney Center for Adoption, Lena Pope and The Parenting Center. A panel discussion featuring the chief executive from each organization will explore how each agency and the community can work together to prevent child abuse. It will be followed by a networking hour. The event is an informative kickoff to Child Abuse Prevention Month, offering ways for the community to get involved.

According to the latest report published by the U.S. Department of State, International Adoptions continue to decline to the U.S., with another drop reported for 2017.  Since the peak in 2004, we have seen an 80% decline in international adoptions to the U.S.  

Yesterday, The Federalist published an article regarding the State Department making international adoption rarer and more expensive than ever to consolidate government control over private agencies. Please read "Bucking Trump Deregulation Agenda, State Department Chokes International Adoption". 

Positive news for internationally adopted adults who fall into loophole, but we still need your help!

Nothing is more important than our children, and no role is more significant than advocating for children, especially the most vulnerable children who have suffered abuse or neglect or who have been removed from their biological families. 

As Congress works to resolve the important issues around DACA, please do not forget another group of foreign-born children who were brought into United States legally, and adopted by U.S citizens, yet do not have U.S. citizenship.   There are the internationally adopted persons who fell into a loophole that was created when Congress passed the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.  (Read Adopted Persons Deserve Equal Protection.)

ALL ADOPTED PERSONS DESERVE EQUAL PROTECTION
UNDER U.S. LAW

"100 years ago, children who were adopted were not automatically able to inherit from their adoptive parents in the same way biological children were. Today, we cannot imagine how adopted children could have fewer rights than other children born into a family. Unfortunately, another significant discrepancy continues to exist for certain internationally adopted persons:  A child who was adopted in complete compliance with U.S. law and the laws of the birth country may not be a U.S. citizen, even though the person’s sibling, who was born in the same foreign country to the U.S. parents, would be a full U.S. citizen.  Now as adults, one sibling has all the rights of U.S. citizenship, while the adopted sibling may not have automatic rights of citizenship, and is vulnerable to deportation."

I recently read "The foster care system was unprepared for the last drug epidemic—let’s not repeat history", by Jeremy Kohomban, Jennifer Rodriguez, and Ron Haskins.

Yesterday, the National Council for Adoption shared the news that Ethiopia is choosing to ban intercountry adoption.  NCFA's Ryan Hanlon joined BBC World Service Radio to discuss how this decision places unparented children at risk in the Adoption Council Blog.